58 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Apeil 27, 1858. 
cally examined, is seen to be a transparent, horny, yellow 
shaft, the extremity of which dilates into a slightly enlarged 
knob. This is cleft into four points, three of which are minute, 
but the fourth is developed into a long, slightly divergent, 
highly elastic, tapering, and finely-pointed spear. By pushing 
these bristles against the sides of the tube, and prizing up 
the body by their means, the upward movement is effected. 
The retreating motion is performed by a minute, ribbon-like 
muscle, on which are fixed many thousands of hooked teeth, 
which firmly hold to the inner lining of the tube, while 
the muscles contract with a jerk, and draw the animal 
down.” * 
The Serpulae may be kept with any kind of marine stock, 
for they have no bad habits, and they are not liable to injury, 
even when crabs sprawl over them, owing to the impenetrable 
retreats in which they so readily ensconce themselves when 
alarmed. I have had them survive a wreck caused by pu¬ 
trescence, and increase of density ; but, as a rule, the water 
should be bright and pure, and well regulated as to strength, 
and abundantly supplied with oxygen, for them to do well. 
The subject chosen to illustrate this paper is a bottle, 
di edged up last autumn at Weymouth, and which I count 
* “ Popular History of tlie Aquarium,” p. 183. 
among my marine curiosities. It is a quart ale bottle, and may 
be a memorial of a wreck, or of some jolly yachting party. 
Its history previous to submersion might be curious, if we 
knew it; its history since is written on it with unmistakable 
plainness. Like the pieces of brick, pottery, and the ancient 
oyster shells, that the dredge brings up in such numbers, this 
bottle has been plentifully adorned by marine masons which, 
for more than fom* years past, have indulged uninterrupted 
their architectural caprices on its surface. It came to London 
with its entire stock in a healthy state, and when placed in a 
tank, several Actiniae took up their quarters on it, so that for 
many months it was a most beautiful as well as a curious 
object. The lovely Dianthus is seen attached near the mouth 
ol the bottle; there is another of the same species on the right- 
hand side, and on the left a Daisy , rearing himself as high as 
possible. When sketched, it was tenanted by oysters of all 
ages, from a few months to at least four years, her pula con- 
tortuplicata had found it a suitable nidus for many sets of 
tubes, and in the centre of the bottle a fine specimen is repre¬ 
sented in full expansion. The smaller tubes arc those of Ser- 
pula triquetra, which in some places are associated with the 
little volcano-like structures of the Balance , or Acorn Barna¬ 
cles. The mouth of the bottle is thickly encrusted with the 
three-sided tubes of small Serpula, one tube laid on another j 
most confusedly, and with what was a pretty progeny of juve¬ 
nile oysters. A similar lot of young oysters were also attached 
to the hollow space, under the base of the bottle. The number 
of creatures inhabiting it, when it was dredged up, could not 
have been much less than a thousand.—S. II. 
PEACH-GROWING IN LANCASHIRE. 
In a recent number of The Cottage Gaedenee, Mr. j 
Robson alludes to the healthy appearance of the Peach 
walls at Knowsley, and conjectures there must be some¬ 
thing peculiar in the soil to cause such fertility and 
exuberance. I am not in a position to say whether it*is the 
atmosphere, or soil, which causes the Peach to luxuriate so 
well in this northern district; finer walls of Peaches it has 
never been my lot to see than in Lancashire, and one in 
particular, at Allerton, the seat of Hardman Earle, Esq.; 
the wall could not be much lower than twenty feet—not a ! 
squaie toot of brick could be seen—all was covered with 
healthy green foliage, and a most abundant crop of fine 
fruit. While shrubs suffer tearfully trom the effects of sea 
breezes, the Peach appears at home; and does far better 
here out-doors than in the neighbourhood of London. I 
remember when living foreman at Wroth am Park, ten miles 
north of the city, Mr. Thomson (now at Dalkeith), who is 
one of the “ scientific practicals ” of the day, tried all means 
to grow the Peach out-doors, but with little success; the 
tiees would make a slight attempt to grow for a season or 
two, if favourable ; then gradually die, and no human efforts 
could save them. One cause why the Peach thrives so well 
here is, we have in general finer and drier autumns than in the 
South; this enables the Peach to ripen its wood thoroughly, 
and stand the rigour of the severest winter, without the wood 
assuming that blotched-like appearance, which it always does, 
if not well ripened; otherwise, it shrivels up and dies, owing 
to the action of frost upon it. Perhaps, some of the Lanca^ 
slnre Peach growerswill give us their opinion, and enlighten 
us on the subject.— John Edlington, Winch Souse , Sea- 
combe, Cheshire. 
EARTHEN PIPES INSTEAD OF A PRICK 
FLUE. 
In your number of the 13tli irist. a correspondent, “ X. X.” 
is inquiring about pipes for flues. About a year and a half 
ago I built a span-roofed house, twenty-two feet and a half 
by fourteen feet and a half, glass end to the south-east, and 
four feet glass in front. At first it was intended to heat it 
with a pipe flue, as recommended by Mr. Pish, with about six 
feet of brick flue nearest the fire; the bricklayer overper¬ 
suaded me not to have the brick flue, as he was sure the 
pipes would stand; so it was fitted up with unglazed nine- 
inch pipes down the front, across the end, and along the 
back: however, before the winter was half over, the two first 
